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Chrome OS users are already a fairly experimental bunch, but it looks like Google wants to give them even more opportunity to fiddle with bleeding-edge features. There’s a Canary build on the way to devices like the Chromebook Pixel and Samsung Series 5.

Canary is the most unstable “channeled” version of the Chromium code. The only way to get a fresher browser from Google is to compile it yourself from the constantly-updating source. Up until now, Chrome OS users have been able to switch among the stable, beta, and developer channels. Windows and OS X users were the only folks who could make the jump to the Canary build, however.

But with the shiny (and pricey) Chromebook Pixel now up for sale and other manufacturers lining up to roll out Chrome OS hardware, the time is right to flip the switch on Chrome OS Canary.

It’s not just about giving enthusiastic Chrome fans an early look at new features, either. Adding an option for Canary gives IT administrators that have deployed (or are considering deploying) Chromebooks and Chrometops and even earlier look at what changes are in the pipe for Chrome OS.

That provides additional time for testing, which can help prevent downtime and breakage. It already takes new features about 18 weeks to move from the developer channel to the stable versions of Chrome and Chrome OS, but a little extra cushion never hurts when it comes to enterprise computing.

Chrome OS Canary is also a nice bone to throw to those who have plunked down $1300-plus for a Chromebook Pixel. You can think of it as a value-add, as long as you’re OK with niggles like instability, crashes, and potential loss of data.